THIBODAUX -- A local lawyer alleges some Lafourche Parish Drug Court officials may have tried to cover up the illegal activity of a lab technician. Lafourche sheriff's detectives arrested lab technician Glynn Lefay Rhodes Nov. 8 for malfeasance in office after authorities received complaints he reportedly falsified urinalysis drug screenings for at least two offenders in the court's onsite lab. But Margaret Sollars, a lawyer for the Lafourche Indigent Defender Office, said she has been aware of accusations against Rhodes since May, and she believes he might be guilty of altering screening results for certain offenders for up to a year before that. [continues 418 words]
A local lawyer alleges some Lafourche Parish Drug Court officials might have tried to cover up the illegal activity of a lab technician. Lafourche sheriff's detectives arrested lab technician Glynn Lefay Rhodes Nov. 8 for malfeasance in office after authorities received complaints he reportedly falsified urinalysis drug screenings for at least two offenders in the court's on-site lab. But Margaret Sollars, a lawyer for the Indigent Defender Office, said she has been aware of accusations against Rhodes since May, and she believes he might be guilty of altering screening results for certain offenders for up to a year before that. Sollars said over the last year, drug court clients repeatedly told court officials, including drug court administrator and clinical director Cheryl Scharf, of Rhodes' activity. [continues 751 words]
THIBODAUX -- Calling it an "unbelievable windfall," Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is planning to use some of nearly $500,000 from the federal government to equip patrol cars. The Sheriff's Office is getting $488,000 of $4.4 million in forfeited drug proceeds stemming from an investigation of a marijuana-trafficking and money-laundering operation in south Louisiana 20 years ago. Three other law-enforcement agencies also are getting a part: * $2.9 million for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. [continues 328 words]
Calling it an "unbelievable windfall," Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is planning to use some of nearly $500,000 from the federal government to equip patrol cars. The Sheriff's Office is getting $488,000 of $4.4 million in forfeited drug proceeds stemming from an investigation of a marijuana trafficking and money laundering 20 years ago. Three other law enforcement agencies also are getting a part: $2.9 million to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office; $488,000 to the New Orleans Police Department; and $448,000 to the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office. [continues 308 words]
THIBODAUX - Only 4 percent of the criminals who have gone through treatment and community service in Lafourche Parish's drug court have gotten into trouble with the law again, officials said. That's far better than the national recidivism rate of about 68 percent for criminals who are chemically addicted but do not go through a drug-court program after arrest. The national recidivism rate ranges from 4 percent to 20 percent for those who successfully complete a drug court program. [continues 329 words]
Officials are touting the success of the Lafourche Parish Drug Treatment Court, which has a recidivism rate of 4 percent. "We're a very young drug court," Cheryl Breaux Scharf, clinical director and administrator of the program, said Wednesday. "We're very proud of the fact we have a 4 percent recidivism rate." Scharf called the statistics "an indication that we're doing the right thing" and that officials are reviewing them to help improve the program. The court has been in operation since April 1999, started by now-retired Judge John J. Erny Jr. who served as the court's judge until 2001. Since then Judge John E. LeBlanc has presided over it. The court handles cases involving drug offenders, offering them supervision, drug testing, treatment services and immediate sanctions and incentives. [continues 596 words]
